The political economy of work security and flexibility

1. Auflage 2012
ISBN: 978-1-84742-907-0
Verlag: Policy Press

Buch, Englisch, 200 Seiten, Format (B × H): 175 mm x 250 mm, Gewicht: 534 g

The economic crisis has revealed the dark side of deregulation in the labour market: rising unemployment, limited access to social security and, due to low wages, no savings to count upon in bad times.

This book casts light on the empirical relationship between labour market deregulation through non-standard contracts and the three main dimensions of worker security: employment, income and social security. Focusing on individual work histories, it looks at how labour market dynamics interact with the social protection system in bringing about inequality and insecurity. In this context Italy is put forward as the epitome of flexibility through non-standard work and compared with three similar countries: Germany, Spain and Japan. Results show that when flexibility is carried out as a mere cost-reduction device and social security only relies on insurance principles, deregulation leads to insecurity.

'The political economy of work security and flexibility' is essential reading for academics, students, practitioners and policy makers interested in the outcomes of labour market developments in advanced economies over the past twenty years.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Berton, Fabio

Richiardi, Matteo

Sacchi, Stefano

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Spezielle Soziologie Wirtschaftssoziologie, Arbeitssoziologie, Organisationssoziologie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Worker security and the spread of non-standard work; Flexibility and security in contemporary labour markets; Labour policy developments in Italy in comparative perspective; Flexibility and employment security: an analysis of work careers; Flexibility and wage dynamics; Flexibility and social security; A monetary measure of worker (in)security; Conclusions.

Über Autor(innen)

Fabio Berton is Research Fellow in Economic Statistics at the University of Eastern Piedmont, Italy, and Senior Researcher at LABORatorio R. Revelli - Center for Employment Studies.

Matteo Richiardi is Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Turin, Italy, and Senior Researcher at LABORatorio R. Revelli - Center for Employment Studies.

Stefano Sacchi is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Milan, Italy, and Carlo Alberto Affiliate at the Collegio Carlo Alberto of Turin.